The foregoing pages of this book have no doubt
impressed the reader as being expressive of very hard Baptist doctrine. But in
my judgment the positions taken by Bros. Pendleton, Graves and Taylor, in the
body of the book, and by Bro. Moody in the introduction, are Scriptural, logical
and charitable. Consistency and truth are closely allied: and when either is
made to suffer by compromises, or in the interests of a maudlin sentiment, it is
ruinous to the real good of Christ's cause, and to the best standing of his
truth.

These brethren have been
contending against a fraternizing fellowship between preachers, in exchanging
pulpits; and also a liberalizing tendency that counts all churches as on a par.
Every careful and impartial reader will no doubt agree with Dr. Pendleton that
Baptists cannot consistently co-operate with other denominations in their church
work without a surrender of their own distinctive faith. Every careful reader
will also agree with Bro. Taylor that the spirit of modern liberalism would be
the spirit of death to Baptists. For my part I see no consistently logical
course other than to "Mark them which cause divisions and offenses
contrary to the doctrines which ye have learned, and AVOID THEM.'' (Rom. 16:17).
Inspiration speaks expressly to this effect: "If there come any unto
you, and bring not his doctrine, (Christ's doctrine) receive him not into your
house, neither bid him God-speed; for he that biddeth him God-speed is partaker
of his evil deeds." (II John, 10-11). In these Scriptures a
distinct line is drawn between truth and error, between false and true teachers,
and an emphatic prohibition against all affiliation is plainly expressed.

Baptists may be wrong in the distinctive
doctrines they hold, but they cannot be wrong in standing consistently to them
while they believe them to be truth. If they are wrong they should be abandoned;
but until discovered to be wrong they should be unflinchingly maintained. At the
present time it seems to be conceded by everybody that in the main, the
doctrines of the Baptists are Scriptural, and the world is willing to grant us
reasonable toleration if we will be liberal and allow a mutual fraternity in
church and pulpit with all others. But we cannot do this, without a
contradiction of our own essential and fundamental doctrines, and, hence, cannot
do it at all.

Our fathers were bitterly opposed in the
consistent stand they took for strict Baptist practices, by those who believed
in what was known as the "church-branch theory." It was contended that
the "real church" was the "universal church," composed of
"all the saved," and that all visible churches were mere human
conveniences, and that, all taken together, the Christians amongst them made the
"true church," while the denominations were "branches of the
church," and all on a par. On this plea it was argued that pulpit
affiliation, union meetings, alien immersions, open communion, open baptism,
open ordinations, and all else, should be regarded as perfectly proper. It was a
hard fight our fathers had, to meet this seemingly large, brotherly, liberal
spirit, and refuse to concede that all the different denominational churches
were merely "branches of the one true church." But they fought the
battle, and gained the victory, until now it is a rare thing we hear any one
speak of the "branches of the church."

But we have fallen on a more deceptive and
plausible religious strategy, if possible. The enemy, though defeated, has not
been destroyed. Baptists have always had to contend for the faith, and this
contention will not end until the Lord shall destroy the last enemy with the
brightness of his coming. Nor is this contention confined to Pedobaptists and
anti-Baptists. In our own ranks false teachers have arisen who are perverting
the faith, and leading away some disciples after them. They join hands with the
enemy on the outside, and seek to aid in breaking down the walls of the Baptist
citadel, while they pose as the best of Baptists. The specious theory we now
confront is close akin to the "branch-church" theory, and is an
outgrowth from that theory. It runs as follows: The conversion of a sinner
introduces him into the spiritual, invisible, universal church of Christ. This
invisible church is the only church that has a succession through past ages. All
visible churches are necessarily human, and subject to the changing conditions
of their environments, and are therefore sister churches, and should affiliate
with each other on terms of perfect equality. This invisible church embraces all
Christian people, of all classes and names.

Now, the reader can see how easy it is for one
who believes such a theory to also believe that Baptists are chargeable with
bigotry when we refuse to have perfect fraternity with all other sects. In fact,
if it be true that the "real church" is the "invisible, universal
church," and all "Christians are in it," it is clearly an
inexcusable presumption on the part of the Baptists that they do not heartily
co-operate with their "sister churches" in all Christian effort. If
Methodists, Presbyterians, Campbellites, Catholics, and all others who are
Christians, are in this big church,they are evidently as much in it as
the Baptists are, and are entitled to its special privileges as truly as the
Baptists can be. Why then should the Baptists assume to control the ordinances
of this "true church," when others have membership in it as well, and
on the same terms? If we accept the "big church" idea, let us also
accept the open communion, open baptism, and open ordination ideas.

If we have nothing distinctive for a plea, we
should not assume to lord it over others who are as much in the thing as we are.
The charge is unhesitatingly made that those Baptists who accept the big,
universal church idea, are inconsistent in contending for close communion,
Baptist immersion only, and Baptist ordination. If all others are in this big
church, then they have as much right to these ordinances as Baptists have.

For our part we deny this whole
"invisible, universal church" idea. There is but one sort of a church
in the New Testament; and that is a local and visible church. A few passages are
here cited to show the existence of local, visible churches: Acts 9:31,
Then had the churches rest. Acts 15:41, Comforting the churches. Acts 16:5,
Churches established. Acts 19:37, Neither robbers of churches. Rom. 16:4,
Churches give thanks; vs. 16, Churches of Christ salute you, I Cor. 7:17, In all
the churches. I Cor. 11-16, No such custom, neither the churches of God. I Cor.
14:33, As in all the churches; vs. 34, Keep silence in the churches. I Cor. 16:
1, Given to all the churches; vs. 19, The churches of Asia. 2 Cor. 8: 1, The
churches of Macedonia; vs. 19, Chosen of the churches; vs. 23, Messengers of the
churches. 2 Cor. 11:8, I robbed other churches; vs. 28, Care of all the
churches, 2 Cor. 12:13, Inferior to other churches. Gal. 1: 22, Unknown by face
to the churches. 2 Thess. 2:14, Churches of God. 2 Thess. 1:4, In the churches.
Rev. 1:4, Seven churches; vs. 20, Angels of the churches; the candlesticks are
the seven churches. Rev. 2:7, What the Spirit saith to the churches. &c.,
&c. Any reader can see that the references above are to visible
assemblies of people; and that these assemblies had a local meeting place as
well as a visible multitude to make the congregation.

The word "church" means an assembly;
most generally a small assembly that can conveniently meet together. But always
an assembly considered as in convention. In a few passages in the Scriptures,
like Heb. 12:23—"The General Assembly and church of the First Born”—the
aggregate of the saved is considered as being collected in one meeting, and they
thus constitute a church. But there is not a passage in the Bible where the word
"church" is so used as to embrace all the saved, in their divided,
scattered, uncollected dispersion. When all the saved are included they are
considered as assembled together. When they are scattered they are never spoken
of as a church. There is, therefore, no such a thing known in the Bible as an
"invisible, universal church." This fiction is of modern creation, and
is designed to include all those who are supposed to be saved, so to allow them
to have some sort of ecclesiastical fraternity in church matters. But Jesus
Christ, the founder of New Testament churches, never gave us such an imaginary
body, and no inspired writer ever makes mention of such a church. All the
churches we read of in the Scriptures were local bodies, with localmeeting
places, for visible assemblies of men and women.

When we look at the New Testament churches as
visible assemblies we can see the meaning of several patent points:

1. It could be said to them, "Let
your light so shine before men," &c. Matt. 5:16. Visible church
members can do this. Invisible church members cannot.

2. It can be said ye are as "a city
that is set on a hill that cannot be hid." Matt. 5:14. An
"invisible church" must always be "hid," else it would not
be "invisible;" but a visible church can be thus manifest, like a
city.

3. A visible church can receive and execute
the commission of Matt. 28:19-20. But an invisible church cannot. Because—

a. If there are any preachers in the
"invisible church" they could not deliver the gospel message to
visible audiences for the reason that visible audiences would not quietly
listen to the "invisible preacher" while he would talk.

b. If there is any baptism in the
"invisible church" it could not be administered by "invisible
administrators" to visible subjects, for the reason that no sensible man
or woman would allow the ghostly fingers of the "invisible
preachers" to be fumbling around their necks or waists.

c. They would have no ability to administer
the Lord's Supper, because it is a memorial service to be seen by men, and an
"invisible church" could not thus observe it.

d. It could not formulate nor propagate the
doctrines of the commission for the reason that this must be done in the use
of visible means, and for the good of visible people, which could not be done
by an "invisible church."

e. It could never have the fellowship that
is contemplated in the commission, because this fellowship is of the disciples
who may be converted under the preaching of the gospel, and they are all
visible people, and would not know how to be in fellowship with an
"invisible church."

f. But all this could be true of visible
churches, with visible preachers, and visible ordinances. Hence Christ gave
the commission to his visible churches.

4. There is no need for this "invisible
church." (1). Christians don't need it because it can do them no good. (2).
God doesn’t need it because it cannot manifest his glory. (3). The world doesn’t
need it because it neither preaches the gospel by precept or example, and could
be of no service.

5. This "invisible church" cannot
perform any of the functions of a church. It cannot have a church meeting, nor a
pastor, nor deacons, nor a church record, nor exercise discipline, nor receive
members, nor exclude members, nor sing, nor pray, nor preach, nor do anything
else a church is expected to do!

6. The members of the "invisible
church" are entirely ignorant of their surroundings. There is nobody who
can prove he is in such a church. If he is in it, he doesn’t know it, and no
one else knows it. If any one else is in it his neighbors, his brethren, nor any
one else can ever know it. If it had an enemy no hurt could be done by him,
because he could never find the thing he hates. Nobody could ever hate it,
because it has neither form nor fashion, and is without form and void. No one
knows who else is in it. No one knows that he is himself in it. Men get into it
unconsciously, if at all. It seems to be accidental, and by birth. A man is no
more responsible for being in the "invisible church" than for being in
the world, for he was not consulted about it any more than about being born. He
gets no good out of it to himself, and does no good in it for anybody else. It
really has no fellowship, for no one knows to whom fellowship should be
extended. Such a "church" never had Christ for its founder and head.

7. The "invisible church" is a
medley of contradictions, if it is anything. It is said to have in it the saved
of all denominations. These "saved" people at the same time that they
are in the "invisible church" are also in their different
denominational churches, and hold to all the peculiar doctrines of their several
denominations. They have Mormons with their polygamy, Catholics with their water
god, Episcopalians with their sacramental ritualism, Universalists with their
no-hell doctrine, Presbyterians with their unconditional decrees, Methodists
with theirapostasy, Campbellites with their baptismal salvation,
Baptists, with their close communion, all mixed together in one "invisible
body," cemented together by the conflicting doctrines of infant baptism vs.
believer's baptism; salvation by grace vs. salvation by works; final
perseverance vs. apostasy; open communion vs. close communion; episcopacy vs.
congregationalism; affusion vs. immersion, and a hundred other conflicting
doctrines! All these people, with all these doctrines, are supposed to be
peacefully and unconsciously pillowing their heads upon the bosom of this
"invisible church!!" Is it possible that such an outrage on common
sense to say nothing of the outrage on the Bible, can have serious advocates
amongst men?

8. It would be hard to draw a picture of an
"invisible church," but it must have resemblance to a monstrous beast
whose head is a lamb, whose neck is a lion, whose legs are a tiger, a hyena, a
bear and a panther; whose body is made up of babies, fawns, birds, and bugs,
whose tail is a stinging, vicious scorpion, and whose every part is feeding upon
every other part, to its inevitable destruction. Such a beast would be no more
monstrous than the modern fiction of an "invisible church" made up of
devouring, conflicting, contradictory, absurd, irreconcilable doctrines and
peoples of the religious world, so-called. There is no conception of Christ's
church that is not outraged by this monstrous thing.

9. I most emphatically deny that I have any
membership in such a thing as this "invisible church." If I am a
member I don't know it, and it is against my will. I have been kidnapped into it
as clearly as any infant was ever kidnapped by a Romish priest into the Romish
hierarchy; and if that is its plan of receiving members it is no better than the
Romish superstition of infant baptism. If I am in it, I am determined to get out
of it if possible. It is a Babel of confusion, and God is not its author. As it
has no law of ingress, no stimulus to progress, and is only an occasion of
distress, I must respectfully decline its duress, being disgusted with its
process, and with the thing itself.

10. There are not two sorts of churches of
Christ—one big, invisible church, and the other little, visible churches. If
so, then a man would belong to two churches at once. He would get into the big
church unconsciously, and unavoidably, and into the little church on purpose. In
the big church he would do nothing but look wise, feel good, and be nobody;
while in the little church he could suit his fancy in faith and practice, since
all the little churches are human institutions! It is not possible for me to
believe such absurd stuff.

11. Separate particles cannot form
organizations except by being collected together. There are many Masons in the
world. Any number of them can be organized into local lodges, but all of them
taken together would not make a lodge out of which there are no Masons. Amid the
governments of the world there are many Republicans, and these could be formed
into a Republican party, or parties; but all the Republicans in the world do not
make a great big Republican party out of which there are no Republicans. Stones
can be built together and thus make houses; but all the houses do not make one
great big, universal house, out of which there are no stones, or houses. So God
has a family of children, and these can be organized into churches; but all the
children of God do not make one great, big universal church, out of which there
are no children of God. The very idea of such a big church is absurd from every
standpoint.

12. The believers in the universal church are
not agreed as to how one gets into it. Baptists are supposed to be put in by
conversion; Methodists are supposed to be born members of it; Presbyterians
baptize their babies into it; Campbellites baptize sinners into it;
Episcopalians enter by confirmation; the Hardshells have been in from the
foundation of the world; Mormons are immersed into it; Catholics are sprinkled
into it, and the Universalists get into it without doing anything! If there is
such a church, it should have some uniformity about it, and it would have. But
the dreamy fiction has neither form nor fashion, in either its membership, its
laws, its terms, or anything else. It is all a dream.

13. How different from all this is the New
Testament idea of a church. A visible company of disciples, with a pastor,
deacons, a place of worship, gospel, ordinances, songs, prayer, worship and a
visible influence and existence in the world. Such a church can honor God, bless
the world, have fellowship one with another, stand for the truth, be persecuted,
be loved, be hated, and be known in the world. That is a New Testament church—a
Baptist church. It has no conflict of doctrines, no antagonism of faiths, no
self-destroying inconsistencies. Such churches were in existence in the
Apostolic day. They were Baptist churches. They were on the Baptist model, had
the Baptist mould, preached the Baptist faith, observed the Baptist ordinances,
and had the Baptist promises of perpetuity to the end of the ages. There has not
been an hour of time since the Son of Man walked on the earth in his ascent to
the mountain summit to preach his inaugural sermon to his kingdom, that there
have not been Baptist churches, after their scriptural model, witnessing to men
the gospel of Jesus Christ, and administering to believers the ordinances of his
house. Here on this solid rock Baptists stand. They refuse to affiliate with
man-made churches because they are man-made. We don't have to affiliate because
we are not man-made. The Baptists keep open their doors for the reception of all
believers who desire their fellowship. All believers can get in on the same
terms Baptists had to comply with, and all who are in have one common
fellowship. But they form no entangling alliances. Our principles are
scriptural, consistent, reasonable.

1. No "invisible church."

2. Visible churches administer the
ordinances.

3. Visible churches authorize the preaching.

4. Visible churches were entrusted with the
entire work of the commission.

5. Visible churches are New Testament
churches.

6. Visible churches are Baptist churches.

7. Therefore Baptist churches are authorized
to do all the work committed to New Testament churches.

How, then, can we affiliate with other
churches without a surrender of these patent truths?

Baptists very cheerfully consent to the
doctrine that there are Christians outside of Baptist churches; but they are
outside of New Testament churches whenever that is the case. It is their duty to
come into New Testament churches, and not the duty of New Testament churches to
go out to them. Everybody admits Baptist churches to be as true churches as any
others can be. Hence, if everybody should become Baptists they would be as truly
in a New Testament church as it would be possible for them to be in any other,
even allowing others to judge the case. That shows that Baptists have the
essentials of a New Testament church, others being judge. If that be true, then
all others must fall short of these essentials, since they differ from the
Baptists; and that leaves the Baptists occupying the ground. It is plainly the
duty of the Baptists to stand consistently on their safe ground, to decline all
compromising affiliations with other churches, to contend earnestly for the
faith once delivered to them, to preach "all the words of this life,"
to reprove, rebuke, exhort, with all long suffering and doctrine, and to walk by
the "Landmarks" of the faith as our fathers did. Then wise men will
respect us for our consistency, admire our logic, and be convinced by our
gospel; God will be honored, the churches of Christ will prove faithful to their
trust, and man-made institutions, and false churches, will receive their well
deserved rebukes. Thus Baptists will be able to do what no other people under
heaven can do, that is, do the work of New Testament churches.

Most sincerely do I trust the plain truths of
this book will cause all who love Christ to duly consider the absurd things they
are now, possibly, accepting; and also enable all to see how consistent, and
reasonable, and Scriptural are the positions occupied by the Baptists.

A BEWITCHED
PROMISE KEEPER’S WRONG ASSESSMENT OF THE TEACHINGS OF JESUS

By Wayne Camp

I recently received a short e-mail from a
Promise Keeper. He wrote,

“If
you truly read the scriptures, Jesus emphasis was on LOVE, not discerning of
truth.”Note his
downplay on the importance of truth. He actually infers that Jesus was not that
concerned with the discernment of truth. Nothing could be further from the truth
than his statement, “Jesus emphasis was
on LOVE, not discerning of truth.”Love
was very important in the preaching and teaching of Jesus. But, truth was also
very important and strongly emphasized in the teaching of Jesus.

MY ANSWER TO THIS MISGUIDED PERSON

I cannot believe anyone who has truly read the
Scriptures could suggest that the discerning of truth was not important to Jesus
Christ. He was the very embodiment of truth. He said, "Sanctify them
through thy truth, thy word is truth." (Jn. 17:17). He said, "Ye
shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free.” (Jn. 8:32).

His concern for discernment of truth is again
set forth in this verse. John 7:17 If any man will
do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I
speak of myself.

He indicated on another occasion that those
who do not worship in truth worship in vain. Matthew
15:9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of
men.

In the final words of Scripture, it seems that
our Lord Jesus Christ was very concerned with the discernment of truth. Revelation
22:18-19 For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of
this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the
plagues that are written in this book: 19 And if any man shall take away from
the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the
book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in
this book.

Jesus was concerned with all the words of God,
not just his message on love. When Satan was tempting him, he did not answer
with a message about love. He spoke of the importance of all the word of God.
Please note his statement, “It is written” in the following verses.
Matthew 4:4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread
alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. Matthew 4:7
Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.
Matthew 4:10 Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence,Satan: for it iswritten, Thou shalt worship the
Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.

Jesus, in addressing a multitude of folks in
the sixth chapter of John said, John 6:63 It is the spirit that
quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they
are spirit, and they are life.

Michael,
in the words of Jesus in this chapter, you will not find the word love.
He makes no mention of it. He is concerned with truth and with those given to
him by the Father coming to him. But, not one time does he mention love in these
words that he says are spirit and life.

When I read your letter, the first thought
that came to mind was another case in which Jesus sets forth the importance of
discerning truth. Some religious leaders of Israel were asking him some
questions about marriage and the hereafter. He told them that their questions
revealed their error that was caused by not knowing the truth. Matthew
22:29 Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures,
nor the power of God. I fear, my friend, that you also err, not knowing
the Scriptures.

Jesus again reveals the importance of
discerning the truth. Luke 24:44-45 And he said unto them, These are the
words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be
fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in
the psalms, concerning me. 45 Then opened he their understanding, that they
might understand the scriptures. Notice, Michael, he did not open their
understanding so that they would have some kind of perverted love that would
cause them to overlook and condone the error of others. Rather, he opened their
understanding that “they might understand the scriptures.”

The imperative importance of the discernment
of truth is repeatedly set forth in Scripture. God certainly emphasized its
importance. Isaiah 8:20 To the law and to the
testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no
light in them.

God has magnified his word, which is truth,
above all his name. I believe that speaks of the importance of discerning the
truth. Psalm 138:2 I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy
name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word
above all thy name.

The importance of the discerning of truth is
certainly revealed in Paul’s letter to Timothy. 2 Timothy 3:15-17 And
that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make
thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 16 All
scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for
reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17 That the man of
God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. Add to this
his statement in chapter two. 2 Timothy 2:15 Study to shew thyself
approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing
the word of truth. Certainly the one who has no love would not be
approved before God. But, the discernment of truth, “rightly dividing
the word of truth”, is of paramount importance in being approved unto
God.

The Promise Keepers theme is diametrically
opposed to those teachings of Jesus and others on the discernment of truth. They
advocate sweeping all doctrinal differences under the rug in the name of some
kind of perverted, unscriptural sort of love. You, Michael, have been bewitched
into believing that

kind
of perverted love is more important than discerning the truth. But, my friend,
it is the knowledge of the truth that will set you free from this heretical,
para-church organization. My prayer and concern for you is set forth in the
following. 2 Timothy 2:25-26 In meekness instructing those that oppose
themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging
of the truth; 26 And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the
devil, who are taken captive by him at his will. I pray that God may
grant you repentance to the acknowledging of the truth that you may recover
yourself out of the snare of the devil and his latest tool for ecumenism, the
Promise Keepers movement.

Let me add to this answer some other things
about truth that are set forth in the God-breathed word.

Abraham’s servant praised God that he had
not left his master, Abraham, destitute of truth. Genesis 24:27 Blessed be
the LORD God of my master Abraham, who hath not left destitute my master of his
mercy and his truth. This godly man was convinced that God had truly
blessed Abraham by revealing his truth to him.

Jacob rejoiced that God had blessed him with
truth. Genesis 32:10 I am not worthy of the least of
all the mercies, and of all the truth, which thou hast shewed unto thy servant.

Joshua admonished the Israelites to serve God
in sincerity and truth. Joshua 24:14 Now therefore
fear the LORD, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods
which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and
serve ye the LORD.

Samuel admonished the people of Israel to
serve God in truth. 1 Samuel 12:24 Only fear the
LORD, and serve him in truth with all your heart: for consider how great things
he hath done for you.

God was concerned that David’s children walk
before him in truth. In some of his last words to Solomon he reminded him of
this and urged that he follow that admonition. 1
Kings 2:4 That the LORD may continue his word which he spake concerning me,
saying, If thy children take heed to their way, to walk before me in truth with
all their heart and with all their soul, there shall not fail thee (said he) a
man on the throne of Israel.

When Solomon became king, he was praying. In
that prayer he mentioned that David had walked before God in truth. 1
Kings 3:6 And Solomon said, Thou hast shewed unto thy servant David my father
great mercy, according as he walked before thee in truth, and in righteousness,
and in uprightness of heart with thee; and thou hast kept for him this great
kindness, that thou hast given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this
day.

Hezekiah considered it important that he had
walked before the Lord in truth. 2 Kings 20:3 I
beseech thee, O LORD, remember now how I have walked before thee in truth and
with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight. And
Hezekiah wept sore.

The Psalmist prayed that the Lord would lead
him in truth. Psalm 25:5 Lead me in thy truth, and teach me. He
declared that the path of the Lord is truth. Psalm 25:10 All the paths of
the LORD are mercy and truth unto such as keep his covenant and his testimonies.
He declares that he has walked in truth. Psalm
26:3 For thy lovingkindness is before mine eyes: and I have walked in thy truth.

A very wise man named Solomon was so concerned
with truth that he admonished that his readers buy the truth and sell it not. Proverbs
23:23 Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and
understanding.

Let me jump to near the end of the New
Testament. I could quote many other Scriptures from Proverbs to Revelation. But
I will just show how another man of God felt about truth. The apostle John has
sometimes been called the apostle of love. But, read John’s
concern about truth. 2 John 1-4 The elder unto the elect lady and her
children, whom I love in the truth; and not I only, but also all they that have
known the truth; 2 For the truth’s sake, which dwelleth in us, and shall be
with us for ever. 3 Grace be with you, mercy, and peace, from God the Father,
and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love. 4 I
rejoiced greatly that I found of thy children walking in truth, as we have
received a commandment from the Father. This man who had been so close
to the Lord Jesus Christ considered truth to be of paramount importance. This
man who had been taught directly by the Lord Jesus Christ, rejoiced when he
heard that his children walked in the truth. Again, note his words in another of
his epistles. 3 John 1-4 The elder unto the well beloved Gaius, whom I
love in the truth. 2 Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper
and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth. 3 For I rejoiced greatly, when
the brethren came and testified of the truth that is in thee, even as thou
walkest in the truth. 4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk
in truth. Note that even in expressing his love Gaius, John speaks of
the fact that he loves him in truth.

Love, without truth, is a farce. Truth with
love, and love with truth, are godly. But, the correspondent’s suggestion that
Jesus did not emphasize truth during his ministry is clearly not true. The
Promise Keeper should have been more concerned with truth in his own statement.
I am not minimizing the importance of love. One of my favorite chapters in the
Bible is I Corinthians 13. In that chapter Paul does emphasize love as the
greatest of spiritual gifts. But, this should in no way be construed to mean
that Paul was not vitally concerned with the truth. He tells us that love
rejoices in truth. 1 Corinthians 13:6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but
rejoiceth in the truth. He admonished the Ephesian brethren to speak the
truth in love. Ephesians 4:15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up
into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ. In another place
he spoke of those who do not have a love of the truth. 2 Thessalonians
2:10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because
they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. Men
will be condemned because they

do not believe the truth. 2
Thessalonians 2:12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but
had pleasure in unrighteousness.

I have hardly scratched the surface on this
matter of truth as it is set forth in the word of God. Jesus and his apostles,
and the writers of the Old Testament, provide abundant testimony to truth and
its importance. May we be careful that we walk in truth, preach truth, sing
truth, pray in truth and love in truth.

The
letter you posted concerning the Pentecostals who allowed their diabetic son to
die was very impressive. I forwarded to several of my friends, also to Brother
Calvin Gardner who receives support from our church. I thought you might be
blessed to read his comments.

BRAZIL: Thank you so
very much for forwarding this letter from Bro. Wayne Camp on to us here in
Brazil. It will be very profitable reading to many here who are being deceived.
I get "hate mail" weekly from our internet posting of Bro. Laurence
Justice's booklet SHOULD BAPTIST CHURCHES EMBRACE PENTECOSTALISM?
This letter by Bro. Camp will be sent to those who send me the hate mail as soon
as I get it translated.

MISSISSIPPI: I want
to thank you for printing the article on Freedom of Conscience in the January
issue of The Grace Proclamator and Promulgator. I whole-heartedly agree with
your conclusions and appreciate your approach.

Study has shown me that there are only three
cases in the epistles in which we are commanded to break fellowship with another
Christian and all of those cases are issues that call into question one's
profession of faith.

1 Cor. 5:9-11 admonishes us not to keep
company with those who profess faith and live in an openly unrepentant state
because (1 Cor. 6:9,10) such a profession is false.

We are told not to fellowship with those who
bring another gospel, Gal. 1:8,9, because (obviously) one who believes a false
gospel is unconverted.

And Titus 3:10 admonishes us not to fellowship
with a schismatic (heretic), one who creates unbiblical barriers to fellowship,
because he is deeply and profoundly deceived, v.11.

On the flip side, we are admonished to work
really hard for unity in a spirit of humility and forbearance.

Ephesians 4:1-3 I therefore, the prisoner of
the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are
called, 2 With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one
another in love; 3 Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of
peace. (KJV)

It really does seem that some have it all
backwards. He who professes the gospel in true repentance, proclaims that
gospel, and labors for unity is, apparently, a believer that we ought to receive
as a brother, even though he may have some things wrong, Rom. 14.

Thank you, brother, for your continuing work.

WWW: You article on
Christmas, Interesting point of view. I was just wondering of what religion are
you? I am baptist and we do celebrate Christmas and I have friends who are
Jehovah Witnesses that do not celebrate and every now in then we debate over the
issue. I guess more than anything to me I don't really celebrate anything rather
I just take part in the annual customs of getting together and sharing gifts
with the family. What about this point of view; "Every day we should
celebrate Jesus and await his 2nd coming and every day we should give thanks and
be thankful. 'So what if his birthday is not on that day, lets not
celebrate his birthday, but yet his great things he has done and be
thankful. 'And on christmas that is what I will celebrate with my family whether
it be on Dec. 25 or July 25. Thanks.

TEXAS: OK, so my
name is mud. I am currently on your mailing list for the Baptist Proclamator and
Promulgator. Please remove me from your mailing list as soon as you receive this
request.

WWW: You have the
right to say what you wish, however, what a narrow view you possess of the Roman
Catholic Church. Your interpretations are so narrow and self-serving .I presume
outside of your faith leads to eternal destruction. Pray that all Christians
become one in Christ Preach Christianity not decisiveness. Pray that all may be
one in the Body of Christ A very Merry CHRISTMAS

WWW: Well, I am a
Catholic and I do celebrate "Christes Mass" and I DO believe in the
Virgin Birth of Our Lord...and His ONE atoning sacrifice for our sins, and His
work on Calvary, and His physical coming to snatch away the believing saints,
and His final judgement of the world. I am not the "heathen" you
think we Catholics are.

Did you ever stop to think why the Church
named Dec. 25th as the celebration of Christ's birth? Could it be that
maybe, just maybe, it WAS on this date that the only Son of God came into the
world. Early Christian writers such as Augustine of Hippo (so loved by
Luther, Calvin, Wesley, Zwingli et al) certainly thought so. Ever read
Augustine? Hmmm...might learn something.

And we do NOT believe Jesus is sacrificed
again at Mass...that would be BLASPHEMY! We DO believe that the Holy
Communion is a sacrifice of "praise and thanksgiving" for what God our
Father did in Jesus Christ...once, for all. It is written in the Jewish
fathers that, when "Messiah the King shall have come, all sacrifices will
have ceased except the sacrifice of thanksgiving." That is what the
word Eucharist means (the proper name for the Lord's Supper); it means
"thanksgiving".

Yes, we do believe that the "Lamb once
slain" is truly present to feed us with Himself ...everything that He
is. But we DO NOT believe Jesus can be sacrifice again...for "death
hath no more dominion over Him." I should know what we believe...I am
a Catholic theologian.

Study what we REALLY believe, not what you've
been TAUGHT we believe. ANd "judge righteous judgement"...lest you
blaspheme God.

USA: Thank
you for your article you wrote. It's been a long three to four year process of
God opening up this doctrine of grace and election to me. It is a comforting
doctrine and now I see it in almost every sentence of the Bible.

My church is a fundamental Baptist Church and
the Pastor teaches both election and man's free will. That is so frustrating to
me. He will read a verse in John 17, such as verse 2.He will say how wonderful a
statement that is, and then in the next breath tell us our destination is in our
own hands and we make the choice as to where we will spend eternity?

I have family that seem to be trying their
hardest to see to it that I must constantly protect my two small [children] from
their influence. it seems that if they could, they would just go ahead and throw
them into the flames of judgment. Any bad influence they can give to my
children, it seems they do, and with delight too.

The church I have attended for almost 10 years
seems to lean more towards Armenian. Through the years, I have tried to protect
the kids from evil influence, teach the word of God and anything else I might do
to ensure their salvation. I'm tired! I can't do it. I can't save them. My
church has even told us to make sure our kids get saved before they are too old.
What a job!

Anyway, I'm thankful to God that he has
revealed this doctrine of truth to me and set me free. Not free from obeying
Him, but free from the work of saving others. I still witness when led to and
still pray for the salvation of others, but I now realize that getting someone
to say "the sinners prayer" is not always true salvation. How would
one know if he had meant it enough or prayed hard enough, or said the right
words?

The Lord tells us how we may know if we are
born again. We will love the brethren if we are passed from death to life. Our
attitude towards the word of God will be different. His spirit will bear witness
with ours that we are the children of God. Salvation truly is of the Lord. It is
a miracle, not a choice. Yes, we do choose, but willingly because he first gives
us the ears to hear and the Spiritual eyes to see.

The only thing not too comforting to me in my
path to seeing and believing this clear teaching, is what if one or both of my
children are not chosen? The Lord has given them to me to raise in the nurture
and admonition of Himself. But why if they may not be one of His? I love them so
much, and can't bear the thought of them going into eternity without Him. Maybe
you could help me through with this rock in the road?

Book For Sale!

Pastor Ron Crisp has prepared a study on the book of Genesis
which is suitable for Sunday School or other Bible classes. There are 200 pages
of outlined studies. This book is available for $6.00 postage paid. The Book on
the Holy Spirit is also available for $ 4.00 postage paid. Order from: